Sense And Sensibility
(Jane Austen)
For sheer poetry of language and picturesque descriptions of the English land and social scape of the late 18th century, Jane Austen will always be well loved and well read. Of course one has to make allowances for the fact that we are living 3 centuries ahead and might find many of the situations and characters too antiquated to comprehend. But the basic theme of Sense and Sensibility, which is the affectionate rivalry between two sisters- one practical and down-to-earth and the other romantic and impulsive- is one that anyone can relate to. At the heart of the book is the ever ongoing conflict between sense and sensibility, with the writer clearly on the side of the former though not complelety disregarding the virtues of the latter. Elinor, the older of the two sisters has made it her life's mission to see that her mother and younger sister, Marianne, do not suffer due to thier dreamy outlook in life. At the same time she also nurses a secret passion and consequent disappointment which she handles with elan in sharp contrast to Marianne who falls into the throes of depression over a failed relationship with as much fervour and lack of discretion with which she fell in love with the handsome rake, Willoughby. In the end, Elinor's discreet passion is rewarded though not after many setbacks and hurdles all of which she handles with the ease of the sensible. All these centuries later humanity is still grappling with the same concerns- the longing to belong and be loved, the concerns of a warm home and hearth, the striving to keep up with one's peers and not be left behind in the social milieu. That is why, despite the vagaries of the language and stiffness of the narrative, Sense and Sensibility is as relevant today as it was in Austen's days and people continue to be enthralled by the tale of Elinor and Marianne and the men in thier lives.
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